The I ♥ Cebu blog by Peanut Browas

​Football in the Queen City of the South has grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade or so. It reached a point where a true-blue Cebuano became a member of the Philippine Men’s National Team or the Azkals. A Cebuano football club was also able to join a Manila-based football league. The Queen City of the South also became the venue of friendlies between the Azkals and the national teams of a number of countries. And at the forefront of this football renaissance in the Queen City of the South is a tournament that held its 14th edition recently, the Thirsty Football Cup.

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Football Cup

The Thirsty Football Cup is considered as the most participated football festival in the archipelago. The tournament reached this milestone in 2012 when it attracted a total of 380 teams from all over the country. The Thirsty Football Cup was conceptualized by Charlie Pages together with Chad Songalia and Neil Montesclaros. It had it inaugural tournament in 2004 at the former football field/driving range in front of Ayala Center Cebu.

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

​The tournament has brought the popularity of the game in the Queen City of the South to new heights. Aside from bringing together the best football teams in the island, it has also attracted quality teams from all over the archipelago. It has become an event football players of all ages wait for every year.

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Tournament format

The Thirsty Football Cup has a number of categories where players can play based on their age. The youngest players play in the Mix-Under 7 category while the most mature players play in the 38-Above category. The Mix-Under 7 category follows a 5-a-side format while the other age groups follow a 7-a-side format. Games normally start on Friday afternoon with the last games played on Sunday evening.

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

​For the 14th edition of the tournament, the organizers decided to add a Mix Open category where at least three women players for each team should be on the field at one time.

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Win for a Cause

Aside from winning for the glory of one’s team, players were also given the opportunity to give back to society in the 14th edition of the tournament. The organizers asked teams to adopt a charitable institution and the organizers made a donation to the chosen charitable institution of the winning team for each category. The move was in preparation for the 15th edition of the tournament in 2018.

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

Thirsty Cup – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

​The atmosphere during the tournament is festive as football players of all ages come together to play as well as have fun in one of the most, if not, the most popular sport in the world. The Thirsty Football Cup is now considered as an institution in the football landscape of Cebu.